“Winemakers . . . are often pressured to do things like reduce staff costs, or costs generally . . . Wine is a social beverage – its production should be social too.” – Oliver Styles, winemaker at Winemaker Halcyon Wines- Hawke’s Bay NZ “There is also the battle to reduce costs yet increase quality. We need to be profitable to be successful but defend what we need to successfully create wines of quality and distinction.” – Mark Beaman, Winemaker, Kenwood Vineyards “Sustainability is becoming key. Organics. biodynamics, natural winemaking, to paperless systems. Everything we can do to reduce waste and give back and nurture the land and sky the better.” – Paul Dawick, Head Winemaker at Mills Reef, “. . . we need to see a new wave of winemakers who are focused on innovation, sustainability, and inclusion.” – Lauren Barrett, Principal Consultant, By and By Solutions LLC “. . . many grape growers are d

The global bulk wine market continued to be slow through March into early April, as the ongoing economic uncertainty around the world compounds a longer-term structural weakness specific to the wine industry – namely, the multi-year slide in wine sales in key markets: according to International Wine & Spirits Research, Brazil is currently the only country in the top 20 wine markets that is drinking more wine now than it did in 2017.  How the industry goes about arresting this consumption drift is a well-worn topic. It is a tough ask: younger demographics can choose from a far larger spectrum of alcoholic beverages than their parents, while alcohol abstention – or at least a preference for lower alcohol options – is far higher among these cohorts. Hence the new ‘World of Zero’ area at ProWein, and we have seen an uptick in enquiries into lower-alcohol wines – both in recognition of this consumer trend and because taxes on such wines can be lo

The Southern Hemisphere harvests have passed their midway point and Argentina (-40%), Chile (-15-30%) and Australia (-30-40%) are all expected to produce tonnages some way short of their respective averages this year. South Africa’s crop, too, is projected to be on the lighter side, while Cyclone Gabrielle’s impact on the Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay growing regions of New Zealand is still being assessed.  The prospect of shorter harvests has not stimulated a great deal of extra interest from international buyers of bulk and, like their counterparts in the Northern Hemisphere, the bulk wine markets are slow, especially on reds. (Domestic business is active, especially in Argentina, Chile and South Africa, pushing up the price of generic red and white wines.) Consumer confidence in the UK and parts of the Eurozone is patchy, and grocery price inflation high, reducing European demand for Southern Hemisphere bulk wines and – of course – Europe’s own. S

Afternoon Brief, February 20th

Hawke's Bay Cleanup Begins: After the tragic impact of Cyclone Gabrielle, the weather-bombed wine region looks to salvage what it can...

Afternoon Brief, February 16th

Hurricane Destroys Hawke's Bay Vineyards: Wine growers are used to rain, frost and drought, but a full-force tropical cyclone is a different level entirely...